I'm milking this list for about a month's worth of blogging, huh? The list continues ...
31. Learn how to drive a motorcycle - The older I get, the more interested I am in riding a motorcycle. Isn't it supposed to be the other way around?
32. Write a book or script
33. Go white-water rafting
34. Earn a master's degree - I started an MBC program at the University of St. Thomas, but it's just too damn expensive for me right now.
35. Become ABC (or APR) accredited - I'm planning to do the ABC accreditation program this fall.
36. Learn how to play golf - I used to joke that I wouldn't take up golf until I turned 30. Maybe it'll be 40. Or, maybe when my knees won't allow me to play basketball anymore, which could be any day now.
37. Attend a bullfight
38. Attend a live boxing match
39. Help build a Habitat for Humanity home
40. Start my own business
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Life list 21-30
21. Visit all 50 states - I have seven left: Alaska, Hawaii, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont and West Virginia.
22. Scuba dive
23. Attend a formal father/daughter dance with Elsie
24. Go to games at these 5 pro baseball parks: San Fran, Boston, Baltimore, Seattle, NY Yankees - Looks like I'll be able to check NYY off the list this summer when Mrs. E and I watch our beloved Twins visit the Yanks during our 5th anniversary vacation to NYC.
25. Buy stock - Check this one off the list. Mrs. E and I bought three shares of BWLD. Why? I worked at the Mankato Buffalo Wild Wings (aka "B-Dubs") in college, it's a Minnesota company and our semi-frequent guilty dining pleasure.
26. Be part of a live studio audience - preferably The Daily Show, but anything that doesn't involve trailer trash paternity tests will do.
27. Camp in the boundary waters - I can't believe I've never been to the boundary waters. I'm a terrible Minnesotan!
28. Attend a Final Four basketball game
29. Attend a World Series game - Preferably involving the Twins.
30. Attend a Super Bowl - Will the Vikings return to the Super Bowl in my lifetime? Will they win it ... well, ever? I'd like to be there for it, either way. But I doubt I'd pay to see a Super Bowl in which the Vikings didn't play.
22. Scuba dive
23. Attend a formal father/daughter dance with Elsie
24. Go to games at these 5 pro baseball parks: San Fran, Boston, Baltimore, Seattle, NY Yankees - Looks like I'll be able to check NYY off the list this summer when Mrs. E and I watch our beloved Twins visit the Yanks during our 5th anniversary vacation to NYC.
25. Buy stock - Check this one off the list. Mrs. E and I bought three shares of BWLD. Why? I worked at the Mankato Buffalo Wild Wings (aka "B-Dubs") in college, it's a Minnesota company and our semi-frequent guilty dining pleasure.
26. Be part of a live studio audience - preferably The Daily Show, but anything that doesn't involve trailer trash paternity tests will do.
27. Camp in the boundary waters - I can't believe I've never been to the boundary waters. I'm a terrible Minnesotan!
28. Attend a Final Four basketball game
29. Attend a World Series game - Preferably involving the Twins.
30. Attend a Super Bowl - Will the Vikings return to the Super Bowl in my lifetime? Will they win it ... well, ever? I'd like to be there for it, either way. But I doubt I'd pay to see a Super Bowl in which the Vikings didn't play.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Life list 11-20
11. Semi-retire by age 56 - Why 56? Because it's 25 years from now and, should I make it that far, it seems that's long enough to work full-time. Maybe it's not realistic, but I would like to completely retire by 65 ... when I'm still young enough to enjoy it.
12. Attend a concert at Red Rocks Amphitheater - I've visited this place twice, but haven't been there for a concert. The place is gorgeous ... and it attracts some damn good bands, too.
13. Visit Vancouver - This item, and the next two, would have happened two summers ago if not for The Tax Bill From Hell, which forced us to spend our vacation savings.
14. Visit Alaska
15. Take a cruise
16. Make a batch of dad's spaghetti sauce - My dad used to own his own restaurant and is an excellent cook. About once a year, he makes spaghetti sauce in a 50-quart pot. It makes the house smell wonderful.
17. Cook dinner with my children more often than not - Elsie has changed many of my priorities. Something I had never considered before her arrival was the importance of leaving work on time to get home and have a family dinner. I'm already doing my best to achieve this one ... even if "cooking" means shaking up a bottle of formula and mashing up a banana.
18. Go on a ski trip to Colorado - I've only been skiing a few times and only in Minnesota, which is kind of like saying, "I've only drank alcohol a couple times and it was peach schnapps."
19. Go wild turkey hunting - For work I sometimes travel to the Southeast to interview people who grow pine trees. Some of these people have convinced me that wild turkey hunting is an excellent experience, whether it's done with a shotgun, a bow or a camera.
20. Host a surprise party for someone - Doesn't this sound fun? I mean, assuming it goes off without a hitch and the person is legitimately surprised.
12. Attend a concert at Red Rocks Amphitheater - I've visited this place twice, but haven't been there for a concert. The place is gorgeous ... and it attracts some damn good bands, too.
13. Visit Vancouver - This item, and the next two, would have happened two summers ago if not for The Tax Bill From Hell, which forced us to spend our vacation savings.
14. Visit Alaska
15. Take a cruise
16. Make a batch of dad's spaghetti sauce - My dad used to own his own restaurant and is an excellent cook. About once a year, he makes spaghetti sauce in a 50-quart pot. It makes the house smell wonderful.
17. Cook dinner with my children more often than not - Elsie has changed many of my priorities. Something I had never considered before her arrival was the importance of leaving work on time to get home and have a family dinner. I'm already doing my best to achieve this one ... even if "cooking" means shaking up a bottle of formula and mashing up a banana.
18. Go on a ski trip to Colorado - I've only been skiing a few times and only in Minnesota, which is kind of like saying, "I've only drank alcohol a couple times and it was peach schnapps."
19. Go wild turkey hunting - For work I sometimes travel to the Southeast to interview people who grow pine trees. Some of these people have convinced me that wild turkey hunting is an excellent experience, whether it's done with a shotgun, a bow or a camera.
20. Host a surprise party for someone - Doesn't this sound fun? I mean, assuming it goes off without a hitch and the person is legitimately surprised.
Friday, April 11, 2008
Life list 1-10
What better way to escape (mentally, at least) from a spring blizzard than thinking about things you'd rather be doing?
I've spent time recently compiling a "life list" (aka "bucket" list, as in "things to do before you kick the bucket") and am up to 40 items. My only criteria for each list item is that it's realistically feasible and something I want to do (duh).
In no particular order of importance, here are 10 items from my life list, with some explanation of why each made the list:
1. Get something published on McSweeney's - I've submitted a couple lists but have thus far been rejected. If you haven't visited McSweeney's, check it out. Dan Kennedy is my favorite regular contributor.
2. See live polar bears in the wild - I've been fascinated by polar bears since childhood. There is a tour in Canada each year where you take a bus into polar bear habitat. It's kind of high-priced ($1,500+) considering it's a vacation that doesn't involve laying on the beach drinking frozen margaritas ... but still, polar bears are awesome!
3. Travel to Europe - I visited England and Ireland when I was 18, and I'd love to return, but I'd also like to see Italy, Germany, France and Amsterdam (I know what you're thinking Randy, but it's all about the Van Gogh museum ... or at least that's what I'm telling my wife).
4. Take an improv class (Brave New Workshop?) - This just seems like it would be a lot of fun. And hopefully Michael Scott wouldn't be in my class.
5. Teach my kid(s) how to play pool - The first time I played pool with my dad I was only able to see over the table by standing on a milk crate. To this day, it remains one of my favorite hobbies, even though I haven't played competitively or had my own pool table for a few years.
6. Ride bike from home (Farmington) to Eagle Lake in one day - I don't cycle nearly as much as my blogging friends Adam or Randy, but I think it might be fun to ride from my house to my parents' someday. There's a nice paved trail for most of the ride.
7. Own a lake house - I'd love to live on a lake. Cabins are too much hassle. It's hard enough taking care of one house, much less two. So why not own a lake house? After all, there's more than 10,000 lakes to choose from up here in Minnah-SO-duh.
8. Write a letter a month - As much as I love e-mail, it's kinda sad that hand-written letters have gone the way of the dodo. I haven't started this one yet, but should. But how long should I keep it up? A year? Ten years? Forever?
9. Visit Cuba - And yes, I'll smoke a cohiba when I'm there.
10. Attend the Kentucky Derby - This is the first of many sporting events on my list. I'm not a huge fan of horseracing, but this event just seems electric. Plus, it's a good excuse to drink bourbon ... as if I need an excuse!
Do you have a life list? What's on it and why?
I've spent time recently compiling a "life list" (aka "bucket" list, as in "things to do before you kick the bucket") and am up to 40 items. My only criteria for each list item is that it's realistically feasible and something I want to do (duh).
In no particular order of importance, here are 10 items from my life list, with some explanation of why each made the list:
1. Get something published on McSweeney's - I've submitted a couple lists but have thus far been rejected. If you haven't visited McSweeney's, check it out. Dan Kennedy is my favorite regular contributor.
2. See live polar bears in the wild - I've been fascinated by polar bears since childhood. There is a tour in Canada each year where you take a bus into polar bear habitat. It's kind of high-priced ($1,500+) considering it's a vacation that doesn't involve laying on the beach drinking frozen margaritas ... but still, polar bears are awesome!
3. Travel to Europe - I visited England and Ireland when I was 18, and I'd love to return, but I'd also like to see Italy, Germany, France and Amsterdam (I know what you're thinking Randy, but it's all about the Van Gogh museum ... or at least that's what I'm telling my wife).
4. Take an improv class (Brave New Workshop?) - This just seems like it would be a lot of fun. And hopefully Michael Scott wouldn't be in my class.
5. Teach my kid(s) how to play pool - The first time I played pool with my dad I was only able to see over the table by standing on a milk crate. To this day, it remains one of my favorite hobbies, even though I haven't played competitively or had my own pool table for a few years.
6. Ride bike from home (Farmington) to Eagle Lake in one day - I don't cycle nearly as much as my blogging friends Adam or Randy, but I think it might be fun to ride from my house to my parents' someday. There's a nice paved trail for most of the ride.
7. Own a lake house - I'd love to live on a lake. Cabins are too much hassle. It's hard enough taking care of one house, much less two. So why not own a lake house? After all, there's more than 10,000 lakes to choose from up here in Minnah-SO-duh.
8. Write a letter a month - As much as I love e-mail, it's kinda sad that hand-written letters have gone the way of the dodo. I haven't started this one yet, but should. But how long should I keep it up? A year? Ten years? Forever?
9. Visit Cuba - And yes, I'll smoke a cohiba when I'm there.
10. Attend the Kentucky Derby - This is the first of many sporting events on my list. I'm not a huge fan of horseracing, but this event just seems electric. Plus, it's a good excuse to drink bourbon ... as if I need an excuse!
Do you have a life list? What's on it and why?
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